Direct Object Pronouns
Direct object pronouns replace a noun that directly receives an action, making speech and writing more concise and natural. This guide goes over each pronoun and how to use them.
Pronouns
The basic French direct object pronouns are short forms like me, te, le, la, nous, vous, les, and they agree in gender and number with the noun they replace.
| French Word(s) | English Word(s) |
|---|---|
| me / m’ | me |
| te / t’ | you (informal) |
| le | him / it (masculine) |
| la | her / it (feminine) |
| nous | us |
| vous | you (formal/plural) |
| les | them |
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🌎 Je le vois. | I see him/it. |
| 🍎 Je la mange. | I am eating it (f.). |
| 🎒 Je les prends. | I take them. |
| 🧍 Je t’invite. | I invite you. |
| 🙋 Je te vois. | I see you. |
| 🧑🤝🧑 Je nous joins. | I join us. |
| 🧑💼 Je vous écoute. | I listen to you (formal/plural). |
| 📺 Je l’allume. | I turn it on. |
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Placement
In standard declarative sentences, direct object pronouns come immediately before the verb: they sit before the conjugated verb or before the infinitive when there is one. This placement makes the sentence flow smoothly.
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Negative Sentences
In negative sentences, the pronoun stays between ne (or n’) and the verb: the pronoun does not get pushed outside the negative markers, so the sentence keeps its structure and clarity.
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Passé Composé
When a direct object pronoun precedes an auxiliary verb like avoir in the passé composé, the past participle agrees in gender and number with the pronoun: this agreement helps show exactly what was affected by the action.
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Examples
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🌅 Je le regarde. | I am watching it (the sunrise). |
| 🍞 Je la prends. | I am taking it (the bread). |
| 🥐 Je les mange. | I am eating them (the croissants). |
| 🧍♂️ Je t’appelle. | I am calling you. |
| 🙋♀️ Je ne te vois pas. | I do not see you. |
| 📷 Je l’ai prise. | I took it (the photo). |
Summary
Direct object pronouns streamline sentences by replacing nouns that receive actions; learn the short pronoun forms like le, la, les, and practice placing them before verbs in declarations and negatives to speak naturally.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025